The public service commission decision to suspend former prison director Anna Aristotelous in December 2025, was annulled by the administrative court on Wednesday until the conclusion of the pending criminal case concerning classified documents removed from the institution.

The decision was issued following an appeal lodged by Aristotelous against the commission’s decision, which saw her pay cut by two thirds.

The court said the body which had the authority to recommend her suspension was not the cabinet, but the presidency of the Republic, as Aristotelous continued to serve the presidency when the recommendation was submitted to the commission in November 2025 and had not yet assumed permanent secretary duties.

It added that the proposal made by the cabinet constituted a legal error.

Thus, the court ruled that the appeal was successful and cancelled the initial decision.

Aristotelous’ lawyer Chris Triantafyllides sent a letter on Wednesday to the cabinet’s secretariat, informing them that the suspension had been cancelled and requesting that his client be immediately posted in a respective permanent secretary position.

In April 2025, a police search of the home of a prison warden revealed a large volume of official documents, some marked “confidential.”

Subsequent to an exhaustive investigation, law enforcement officials apprehended five individuals, four prison guards and a police cadet, on suspicion of misconduct relating to the removal of said documentation.

Police believe that the majority of the documents were removed between November and December 2022. Both Aristotelous and former deputy director Athina Demetriou have since given testimony.